EDITOR, The Tribune
I’m looking forward to going to the beach, but I am NOT looking forward to ear splitting “music” when the Montagu Park and Club Waterloo reopen.
The last few months we have slept like babies. For once heat, rather than noise, made us turn our air conditioning on because there was no noise to try and drown out.
I would like to implore the powers that be to take this opportunity to establish an acceptable sound decibel level and ENFORCE it, or else ban events with music from Montagu Park altogether.
And please establish a police WhatsApp noise pollution complaints number so we can provide a record of our complaints to more senior police if they are not acted upon. The other problem is, even when the police do respond to complaints about the park, the music is turned down, but then turned back up when they leave.
Stop allowing people to terrorise the hundreds of residents in the nearby neighbourhoods with their headache inducing music. Even if the music is turned down, the bass is usually so high it booms in your head.
Imagine calling the police to complain about the music from Waterloo and someone who is quite rude says they can play the music as loud as they want if it’s from inside.
Really? So, what if, for instance, large speakers are positioned on open window ledges facing outwards, blasting residents awake, is that ok? The noise pollution amplifies across the lake and assaults the neighbourhoods on the other side so no-one can sleep.
Whether the sound system is inside or out is immaterial. What matters is the NOISE.
Does the club operator have some sort of special privilege we’re not aware of?
No-one should have to tolerate this type of environmental nightmare/public nuisance, day or night. And the police need to be informed there is no law that allows anyone to disturb the peace or be a public nuisance until midnight. You couldn’t get away with this on Bay Street, could you?
M JOHNSON
Nassau,
June 1, 2020.
Comments
themessenger 3 years, 10 months ago
Ms. Johnson, I feel for you and your neighbors, however, this Tribune article dates back to 2012 and there has been no action taken and no one fined or jailed either so far as I'm aware. It will be interesting to see if any action is taken by the relevant authorities but I'm willing to bet you will remain just another voice in the wilderness.
By CELESTE NIXON
Tribune Staff Reporter
cnixon@tribunemedia.net
FOLLOWING an increase in the number of complaints from the public, police are warning that they intend to crack down on loud parties and other public nuisances.
photo
At a press conference at Police Headquarters yesterday, Asst Commissioner Leon Bethel said police are concerned about the growing number of large functions and public parties being held in residential areas until the early morning hours.
He said: "Many affected citizens have complained of loud noises emanating from these outdoor and indoor functions due to high volume speakers.
"Divisional police commanders are committed to monitoring neighbourhoods for signs of nuisances and will take appropriate action to bring violators to justice."
Police intend to enforce all laws covering loud music and the sale of alcohol to minors, Mr Bethel said.
He said police will not grant licenses for outdoor music and dancing events in neighbourhoods, and are encouraging applicants and promoters to move their events to properly regulated indoor venues, such as hotels and conference centres.
While permits are not required for private functions in residential areas, Mr Bethel said the public should be aware that any party which draws complaints can be shut down.
He explained that any time - whether in the middle of the day or at night - a loud noise is reported to be disturbing other citizens, an offence has been committed.
However, Mr Bethel said, this law will primarily be enforced at night.
Those found guilty of a creating a public nuisance can be fined up to $150, or in extreme cases, even face a short time in prison.
Mr Bethel said members of the public are encouraged to come forward immediately when they feel they are the victim of such an offence, so the matter can be dealt with swiftly.
truetruebahamian 3 years, 10 months ago
Bass is a lower frequency, hence longer wavelength, than higher pitched sounds. Sound waves (actually, any kind of waves) can diffract around obstacles smaller than their wavelength, roughly speaking. So if you hear a cymbal in an orchestra, but you can’t see it, the sound would have had to bounce off a wall somewhere. The sound from the bass drum would just bend around everything and reach you directly. Sound loses energy at every reflection, so the high frequencies will quickly be damped - anything other than a hard tile surface absorbs high frequencies quite effectively. Low frequencies are essentially coming directly. Again, there is a wavelength effect - short wavelengths of sound will be absorbed quite effectively by a pile carpet, while longer bass wavelengths require an entire sofa or a room full of people to see much attenuation. Infra-bass is almost unaffected. That’s why people in London many miles away complained about the bass noise coming from a 1980’s Michael Jackson concert, even though they could not actually hear the music as such.
JokeyJack 3 years, 10 months ago
This is all true. I recall an incident in Bimini some years ago when complaints were made at 3am about noise from a club there, and upon investigation it was discovered that it was actually coming from a beach club in Miami. The sound had traveled across the waters since it was a clear calm night with low humidity. One lonely oil tanker was found to be traversing the Gulfstream at that hour in the direct path of the sounds waves - but it was surmised that they had been able to simply "bend around" the tanker and continue with very little attenuation.
The power of Satan and his minions is tremendous. We must choose not to listen (even though we can hear), but instead read and obey the words of our savior Jesus Christ.
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